The LOST Finale: There, I Fixed It
by WhittyCat
Summary: A more science fiction and less spiritual pseudoscience fantasy ending to the series. I felt they could have resolved things a lot better than they did.


June 25th, 2010

**The LOST Finale**

There, I Fixed It

The LOST Finale failed to explain anything at all.

When Christian Shephard says the characters are all dead, that can be interpreted one of two ways. If we interpret it to mean that they all died when Oceanic 815 crashed, that makes the entire series the equivalent of a dream sequence. It would be infuriating to think we wasted all that time on a dream sequence. As well, Shephard says that "this is the that place you, that all of you made together, so that you could find one another. The most important part of your life was the time you spent with these people". Prior to the crash, few of the characters were known to each other, so this would not make much sense with the former interpretation. It doesn't account for the characters who weren't on the original flight either. If we interpret it to mean that they all lived their lives, died at different times, and then came to together in this limbo once they had all died, well that still doesn't explain anything about the series. Shepard says, "I'm real. You're real. Everything that's ever happened to you is real. All those people in the church, they're real too". So I guess the latter interpretation is the one we're supposed to choose, but that is still a bit tough to swallow. Did they all die young? None of them are old now. Did Aaron die as an infant? Will he be a baby forever?

What bothered me most about LOST was the false pretense it put on. The first season it seemed to be a promising science fiction series, and by the time it had become clear that it was nothing but spiritual pseudoscience fantasy, I was already attached to the characters.

On the cruelty scale, LOST is something like this: You weld a horseshoe to a tuba, give it to a child, and tell him it's one of those metal puzzles he can solve. It doesn't matter how smart he is or how hard he tries. YOU CAN'T SOLVE A HORSESHOE WELDED TO A TUBA! Oh, but once a week you tell him he's getting closer, give him hints, and suggest entirely new strategies. You do this once a week for six years. Then, at the end of six years, you bash him over the head with the contraption and tell him Santa Claus doesn't exist.

My friends warned me, as we approached the final few episodes, that there is not enough airtime in the space-time continuum to resolve LOST. I disagree. I might not be able to answer all the questions that show asked, but I maintain they could have resolved it a lot better. It's only in the third to last episode that they screw it up irrevocably. If you rewind to that point and press play again, you can get a much more satisfying ending, and that is exactly what I tried to do, and I think mine would take even less airtime than the real thing.

So if you are bored or procrastinating and craving a more solid science fiction ending to LOST, give this a try. You just might like it. Please do not feel obligated. Just because I am bored sick in bed and have the time to write this doesn't mean you have the time to read it. The superscript numbers [now removed by the FanFiction format] denote not necessarily a direct reference or citation, but consulted work or related text for further reading.

**Act I**

**Scene i**

_Alternate Timeline_

_Jack Shepard's Apartment_

_Characters: Jack Shephard, David Shephard, Claire Littleton_

_Enter Jack. David is already sitting at the kitchen table with a bowl of cereal and a carton of milk._

David: Morning.

Jack: Morning.

David: I made breakfast.

Jack: You know, technically, opening a box of cereal is not making breakfast.

David: Are you still coming to the concert tonight?

Jack: Of course. Is your mom coming too?

David: Yeah. Why? You aren't gonna get all weird, are you?

Jack: Why would I get weird?

David: Just don't get weird.

Jack: I won't.

_Enter Claire._

Clair: Morning.

Jack: Morning.

David: Morning. You want some cereal?

Claire: Umm, sure. Thanks.

Jack: How are you feeling?

Claire: Uh, fine, although Aaron kicks like crazy at night so –

_The telephone rings. Jack pushes away from the table to get it._

Jack: Hello, Jack Shephard.

Customer Service: Hello, Mr. Shephard! This is Oceanic Airlines calling to inform you that we've located your missing cargo.

Jack: My father's casket? You found it?

Customer Service: Indeed we did, sir. It will be arriving in Los Angeles at the end of the day.

Jack: Thank you. Uh, that's great news.

Customer Service: You're welcome, sir. We at Oceanic are deeply sorry this has taken so long. You have a good day, sir.

**Scene ii**

_Original Timeline_

_The Beach; following their escape from the Submarine_

_Characters: Jack Shephard, Kate Austin_

_Jack is preparing to stitch the gunshot wound in Kate's shoulder. _

Jack: It's going to hurt, but this has to be done.

_Kate nods._

Jack: The bullet went straight through, but if I don't do this it's going to get infected.

_Kate winces, then gasps and grabs Jack's arm. _

Jack: I'm sorry.

Kate: Did you know they had a baby girl? Her name was Ji Yeon. Jin hadn't even met her yet. Locke did this too them. We have to kill him, Jack.

Jack: I know.

**Scene iii**

_Alternate Timeline_

_The Natural History Museum_

_Characters: Charlotte Lewis, Desmond Hume, Audience_

_Charlotte is standing at a podium, giving a lecture._

Charlotte: It's nothing unnatural. The Earth's magnetic field collapses and reestablishes itself in natural cycles. Half the time it reestablishes itself with the same orientation, and half the time it reverses its polarity. However, just because it's natural doesn't mean it isn't potentially dangerous. Anyone know when the last magnetic field collapse occurred?

_Silence._

Charlotte: No? Scientists estimate that the most recent magnetic-field collapse happened approximately forty-thousand years ago. Now. Who can tell me the significance of that date?

Audience Member: The Great Leap Forward.

Charlotte: Exactly! It's estimated that our ancestors, archaic _Homo sapiens_, first achieved true consciousness during a magnetic-field collapse. Something about the reversal of the magnetic-field triggered a change in our brains that allowed for true conscious thought.

Audience Member: So what are you saying? What happens if the magnetic-field collapses again?

Charlotte: Well, that we don't know, but it could well effect our consciousness again. It's theorized by some scientists – call them crazy, if you will – that our brain function is determined by external electro-magnetic impusles as much as it is by internal biological components. If the magnetic-field were to reverse again, it could cause a consciousness crash of sorts.

_Enter Desmond, who stands at the back of the lecture hall._

Charlotte: Oh, and there I go rambling again. I am out of time. Enjoy the rest of your visit!

_Charlotte collects her papers and personal affects as Desmond approaches the podium._

Desmond: Charlotte Lewis?

Charlotte: Yes?

Desmond: My name is Desmond Hume, and I work for Mr. Charles Whitmore.

_Desmond extends his hand and Charlotte shakes it, tentatively._

Desmond: Have you heard of Mr. Whitmore?

Charlotte: Of course, he's one of the museum's biggest benefactors.

Desmond: Ah, I am glad you're acquainted with his work and interests. He's very impressed with your work too.

Charlotte: Umm, he is?

Desmond: Oh yes, Ms. Lewis. Are you available Saturday night?

Charlotte: I, uh –

Desmond: Mr. Whitmore is holding a benefit concert here on the museum grounds, and would be very much delighted if you would join us.

_Desmond offers Charlotte an invitation. She shrugs, then nods._

Desmond: See you there, Ms. Lewis.

**Scene iv**

_Original Timeline_

_The Beach; moving toward the Jungle_

_Characters: Jack Shephard, Kate Austin, James Ford (Sawyer), Hugo Reyes (Hurley) _

_Hurley is staring sadly out to sea; debris, like life jackets, is still washing ashore._

Jack: We should get going.

Hurley: Where?

Jack: Before Sayid died, he said Locke had thrown Desmond down a well. If Locke wants Desmond dead, I bet we're going to need him.

**Scene v**

_Alternate Timeline_

_Washington Tustin High School _

_Characters: Desmond Hume, Ben Linus, John Locke, Students, School Nurse_

Student: Welcome back, Mr. Locke! It's nice to have you back.

Locke: Thank you. It's nice to be back.

_Desmond is leaning against his parked car, observing this exchange. Ben approaches him._

Ben: Don't you dare move! It's him; the guy who hit Mr. Locke. Call the police! I saw what you did. I am making a citizen's arrest right now!

_Desmond punches Ben in the face and slams him against the hood of the car._

Ben: I will not let you hurt Mr. Locke again!

Desmond: I'm not here to hurt him. I'm here to help him remember.

Ben: Who are you?

Desmond: You want to know who I am, brother?

_Desmond punches Ben repeatedly in the face, causing a flashback to the time Desmond beat him after Ben shot him at the marina in Los Angeles. Desmond climbs in the car and drives away. Ben is taken to the school nurse._

Nurse: Hold still, Mr. Linus.

Ben: It's Dr. Linus, actually.

Nurse: Let me go get you an ice pack.

_Locke wheels his way into the office. _

Locke: What happened? Are you all right, Dr. Linus? I heard there was an incident in the parking lot.

Ben: Yes, I guess I got into a fight.

Locke: A fight? With whom?

Ben: The man who hit you with his car, Mr. Locke. He was leaning against the same car in the parking lot, watching you. I approached him and he just attacked me. And then the strangest thing happened. While he was beating me, I, I saw something. _Locke has started dialing his mobile. _What are you doing?

Locke: Calling the police.

Ben: You might not want to do that.

Locke: Why wouldn't I want to do that?

Ben: The man told me that he wasn't trying to hurt you; he was trying to help you remember.

Mobile: L.A.P.D.

Ben: And for some reason, I believed him.

Mobile: Hello? L.A.P.D.

Ben: Do you have any idea what he was talking about, Mr. Locke? Does that mean something to you?

_Locke shuts the mobile. On the other end of the line, Desmond walks into the Los Angeles Police Department._

**Scene vi**

_Original Timeline_

_The Jungle_

_Characters: Jack Shephard, Kate Austin, James Ford (Sawyer), Hugo Reyes (Hurley), Jacob_

Jack: Any idea exactly where this well is?

Sawyer: Some idea. Sayid said it was close to our camp, about an hour away. Why wouldn't Locke just kill Desmond, if he wanted him dead?

Jack: Who knows? One of his rules?

Sawyer: The bomb on the sub, you said he couldn't kill us.

Jack: I've been wrong before.

Sawyer: I killed them, didn't I?

Jack: No, _he_ killed them.

_Hurley notices a boy darting along in the jungle ahead and goes to investigate. He loses sight of the boy, and turns around to go back, but the boy is standing right in front of him._

Hurley: Ahh!

Jacob: Give me the ashes.

Hurley: What?

Jacob: Give me the ashes you took from Ilana's things after she died. _Pause._ I know they're in your pocket.

Hurley: Why do you want the ashes?

Jacob: Because they're mine.

_Hurley fishes in his pocket and tentatively extends the pouch._

Hurley: I know, but… What do you want them for?

_Jacob snatches the bag of ashes and disappears into the jungle._

Hurley: Hey!

_Hurley chases him and discovers the adult Jacob sitting at a campfire in a clearing._

Jacob: Hello, Hugo.

Hurley: Dude. Where have you been? I was waiting for your instructions.

Jacob: Doesn't matter; I'm here now.

Hurley: Why did you want the ashes? _Looks around. _What did you do with them?

Jacob: My ashes are in that fire. It's merely symbolic, but I felt it was fitting. The end is very near now. Once that fire burns out, you'll never see me again.

Hurley: Uh…

Jacob: Hugo? You should go get your friends.

**Scene vii**

_Original Timeline_

_The Dharma Initiative / Others Barracks_

_Characters: Benjamin Linus, Richard Alpert, Miles Straume _

Richard: Where are we?

Ben: It's a short cut. I told you.

Miles: Are you sure this is a short cut?

Ben: I lived in these houses a long time, Miles. I think I can recall how to get home.

Miles: Well, I lived in these houses thirty years before you did, otherwise known as last week, and I don't recognize a thing.

_The characters break through the thick foliage of the jungle into the housing complex._

Ben: Guess it's a good thing you're following me.

Richard: Exactly how much explosive material do you have, Ben?

Ben: Enough to destroy that airplane at least ten times over and keep it from ever leaving the island.

Richard: Are you sure it's still here?

Ben: It's C4, Richard. I did put a bit of thought into hiding it.

Richard: Let me guess. Cookie jar?

_Miles has wandered away, distracted. He hears ghostly sounds and kneels to the ground to listen to the noises._

Ben: What is it?

Mile: Nothing. I mean, you know I get kinda wonky around dead stuff.

Ben: Do you have something you want to share with us, Miles?

Miles: I really don't think –

Richard: It's Alex, Ben. It's your daughter. After you fled, I buried her here.

_Pause._

Ben: Thank you, Richard.

_Inside Ben's house, he moves a bookcase to reveal a secret door. The secret room contains a safe, and Ben sets to work unlocking the safe, where the C4 is hidden. Beyond the safe is another door, made of stone and engraved with hieroglyphics._

Miles: What is that? A secreter room?

Ben: Where I was told I could summon the monster. That is, until I realized it was summoning me. _Pauses, turns to look at Richard. _What are we doing with this, Richard? Are we looking to cripple the plane or blow it to hell?

Richard: Blow it to hell.

Ben: Then we'd better take it all.

_Richards holds open a backpack as Ben carefully places the C4 sticks into it. A noise in the kitchen startles them. Richards grabs the rifle and goes into the kitchen. Zoe is standing there, with her hands raised._

Zoe: Careful. Calm down.

Ben: Who the hell are you?

_Charles Whitmore enters, unarmed, and stands in between Ben and Zoe. A photograph of Alex is visible just behind him. _

Whitmore: It's okay. She's with me. _Pause. _May I come in, Benjamin?

**Scene viii**

_Alternate Timeline_

_The Los Angeles Police Department_

_Characters: Miles Chang, James Ford (Sawyer), Desmond Hume_

_Miles is struggling to tie his tie without a mirror._

Sawyer: What's with the get-up? Somebody die?

Miles: It's the thing at the museum.

Sawyer: What thing?

Miles: The thing I've been telling you about all week. It's a benefit concert at my dad's museum.

Sawyer: Your dad owns the museum now?

Miles: You know what I meant.

Sawyer: Am I still your date?

Miles: After the way you treated my friend Charlotte?

Sawyer: Is she gonna be there? Damn.

_Desmond approaches the desk._

Desmond: Excuse me. May I speak to a detective, please?

Sawyer: You're speaking to one now.

Desmond: Ah, good.

_Pause._

Sawyer: Well? What is it, then?

Desmond: A few days ago, there was a hit and run incident at Washington Tustin High School, and today, one of the teachers was assaulted – beaten badly – by the same suspect.

Sawyer: Yeah? And?

Desmond: I am that suspect.

Sawyer: Great. _Slaps a pair of handcuffs on Desmond. _It's sweet of you to save the taxpayers all that money.

Desmond: You're welcome, brother.

_Sawyer leads Desmond to a row of cells and shoves him into a cell with Kate and Sayid._

Desmond: How are we all doing today?

**Scene ix**

_Original Timeline_

_The Dharma Initiative / Others Barracks_

_Characters: Benjamin Linus, Richard Alpert, Miles Straume, Charles Whitmore, Zoe_

Ben: What the hell do you want, Whitmore?

Whitmore: Surprisingly enough, the same thing you want this time.

Ben: We never want the same things, Charles. All you ever want is to obstruct our plans and take all that matters away from me: my home, my authority, my island, _my daughter_.

Richard: What we want is to destroy the airplane that crashed here a few days ago.

Whitmore: Well. Let me save you some time then. I've had that plane rigged with explosives since the day it got here.

Ben: Why would we trust your word on that?

Whitmore: Benjamin, I cannot undo the things I have done to you, nor will I attempt to apologize for them, but I am on your side now. Jacob visited me; he convinced me of the error of my ways. I always knew this island was important, but I never imagined just how important. I wanted to launch an expedition, to locate the island for scientific study. Now I know there is much more at stake than its contribution to scientific knowledge.

Ben: You lie. You've never even seen Jacob.

Whitmore: Oh, I assure you I have. Jacob could not afford not to approach me at this point could he? _No response from Ben. _Oh, come on, Benjamin. How could I possibly be here without his express invitation.

Ben: You have Eloise.

Whitmore: Ha. Eloise is even less likely to visit me than Jacob was, but he did. _Still no response from Ben. _Don't you pretend you were on his side all along yourself! You did his brother's bidding for years, just as I did.

Ben: His brother lied and manipulated me into doing those things. He promised me things that no one could ever possibly deliver, and I believed him.

Whitmore: Yes, because manipulation is his greatest skill and talent. He manipulated me just as he did to you, but we both know that now.

_The mechanical rattling of the smoke monster is heard outside. Zoe bursts through the front door._

Zoe: Uh, guys? We gotta get going.

_Whitmore starts to push past the others, back into Ben's bedroom._

Ben: Where are you going?

Whitmore: The secret passage in your hidden room, Ben. The tunnels eventually lead to the temple and safety.

Richard: The temple is already destroyed. No safety to be found there anymore.

_Zoes screams as one of the smoke tendrils grabs her by the ankle and yanks her back out the door._

Whitmore: Well. We'll all have to run a lot faster then. _Whitmore starts ushering them all into the secret passage. The sound of smoke monster gets louder. Whitmore shuts and locks the door to the hidden room behind them. _You see, we can be of help to each other.

**Scene x**

_Original Timeline_

_The Jungle Clearing _

_Characters: Jack Shephard, Kate Austin, James Ford (Sawyer), Hugo Reyes (Hurley), Jacob_

Jacob: Hello Hugo. Kate. James. Jack.

Hugo: (_to the others) _It's Jacob; he's sitting there, by the campfire. He says hello.

Jack: Yeah, I heard him.

Hugo: You can see him?

Jack: Yeah, I can see him.

Sawyer: Not to bring up a sore subject, but aren't you kinda dead?

Jacob: Yes, James. My physical being stopped functioning some time ago, but my mental energy is still flowing. I am using that energy to project this image of myself to you, but I haven't got much left. I normally communicate exclusively with Hugo, because it takes less energy, but I am using the last of my energy so that you can all see and hear this. By the time I am finished, my energy will be exhausted and all aspects of me will really be dead.

Kate: Why waste your final moments on us?

Jacob: It's about time I explained some things to you.

Sawyer: Damn straight it is! You -

Kate: Let him talk.

Sawyer: Okay, Casper. Shoot.

Jacob: Do you remember the bamboo marsh, near the Oceanic 815 crash site, where you first woke up?

Jack: Where Kate demonstrated how she sewed the drapes in her apartment? _Jacob nods._

Jacob: Beyond that bamboo field lies the heart of the island.

Kate: What is the "heart of island"?

Jacob: It's an intense pocket of electromagnetic activity. As you already know, this island is rich with electromagnetic radiation. It's the reason so many vessels crash here. Ships lose their bearings when their compasses start spinning. Aircraft instruments are affected, and pilots drift far off course before they realize the readings are wrong. Eventually, the vessels get too close to the island and the magnetism pulls their metal hulls into the land.

Sawyer: Wait. The electromagnetism made us crash? I thought you brought us here on purpose.

Jacob: Oceanic Flight 815 would have crashed no matter what. I just ensured the correct people would be on it.

Sawyer: Well shit –

Jacob: It's important that we finish this in a timely manner, James. The pockets of electromagnetic activity are extremely dangerous. If disrupted, the wave could trigger a collapse of the planet's electromagnetic field. The Dharma Initiative is one of many scientific expeditions that have tried to study the island and its unique properties, and they came far too close to breaking through into one of the largest pockets. Luckily, you stopped their drilling with a nuclear bomb in one reality, and they contained it with the hatch in another.

Jack: The button, it was meant to diffuse the charge, but Locke convinced us to stop pressing it. The hatch blew up.

Jacob: By that time, the electromagnetic field had had time to settle, leach and merge with other pockets, and, partially, we were all very lucky.

Kate: What happens if the electromagnetic field collapses?

Jacob: Possibly nothing. The planetary field might reestablish itself in exactly the same direction, but if it reverses its polarity, it could cause the collapse of consciousness. Worst case scenario, all conscious beings simply drop dead. Best case scenario, I suppose we all become mindless zombies, with our animal instincts but no thoughts.

Hugo: Dude, I think you have the definitions of best and worst mixed up.

Jack: Either way, this consciousness collapse would affect all of humanity, everywhere? _Jacob smiles sadly and nods again._

Jacob: The heart of island is the most concentrated pocket of electromagnetic activity on the planet and must be protected at all costs.

Kate: How do we do that?

**Scene xi**

_Alternate Timeline_

_Washington Tustin High School _

_Characters: Benjamin Linus, Alex Rousseau, Danielle Rousseau_

Alex: Dr. Linus! Oh my God!

Ben: Hello, Alex.

Alex: Oh my God. What happened?

Ben: I found myself confronting someone who had a bit of a temper.

Alex: What? Why would anyone want to hurt you? You're like… the nicest guy ever.

Ben: Guess he had confused with somebody else.

Alex: Well, you shouldn't be driving. My mom is waiting right over there. Let us give you a ride home.

Ben: Oh, no. I am not going to trouble you too.

Alex: Dr. Linus, you only have one usable hand. You look like Napoleon.

Ben: Excellent point.

Alex: Mom! Do you mind giving Dr. Linus a ride home?

Rousseau: Of course! After all you have done to help Alex, a ride is the least I can do. _She exits the vehicle and extends a hand. _My name is Danielle.

Ben: Benjamin Linus.

Alex: Mom! Can Dr. Linus come for dinner too? It's coq au vin night!

Ben: Oh, that's really not necessary –

Rousseau: No, we insist! Even if we have to kidnap you. _She holds the door open for Dr. Linus._

**Scene xii**

_Original Timeline_

_The Tunnels beneath the Temple_

_Characters: Benjamin Linus, Richard Alpert, Miles Straume, Charles Whitmore, John Locke_

_The characters are all fleeing, stumbling and wheeling through the tunnels. The mechanical sound of the smoke monster is getting louder and louder behind them._

_Suddenly, Whitmore stops and turns to face the direction of the smoke monster._

Whitmore: Stop! _Whitmore produces a pouch from his pocket, crouches down, and starts to pour a circle of black powder around all of them._

Miles: What is that?

Richard: It's the same stuff they used to mark the perimeter of the Temple.

Whitmore: It's an extremely fine ground powdered metal. If he crosses it in his smoke form, the tiny bits of metal will get stuck in his electromagnetic field, interrupting the continuity of his being.

Miles: Will that kill him? _Grabs a handful of powder, poised to throw it._

Whitmore: No, but it might take him decades to shake it all out. He won't risk it. If he wants to attack us, he'll have to challenge us in his human form, and then it will be four against one.

_John Locke walks around a corner of the tunnel, cheerfully pointing a handgun at Charles Whitmore._

Miles: Yes, but his human form has a gun.

Locke: Ah, Charles. So nice to speak with you without those fences in the way.

Whitmore: Do mind the powder though.

Locke: It's clear enough that you aren't afraid to die, Charles. So there is only one way to motivate you to tell me what I want to know. Soon, this will all be over, I will finally leave the island, and the first thing I'm going to do is kill your daughter, Penny.

Whitmore: You'll kill her whether I talk to you or not.

Locke: No, I won't. I give you my word.

Whitmore: Meaningless. The mere act of leaving the island will kill her.

Locke: Come now. You don't know that. There is at least a fifty percent chance that I won't change a thing. Even if I do, the shift could take a quarter of a century.

Whitmore: Coe and Prévot proved a geomagnetic field collapse could happen in a matter of weeks.

Locke: Then I'd have a few weeks of freedom at the very least. Tell me one thing, and I promise I won't hurt your daughter. _Pause. Whitmore nods. _Why did you bring Desmond Hume back here?

_Whitmore opens his mouth to respond, but a gunshot is heard. Whitmore gasps and collapses, but it wasn't Locke who fired his weapon. Ben is standing behind Whitmore, with a freshly fired shotgun._

Ben: He doesn't get to save his daughter.

Locke: Fortunately, I think I already know. We will be meeting again soon. _Locke transforms back into the smoke monster and disappears the opposite direction down the tunnel._

**Scene xiii**

_Alternate Timeline_

_Danielle Rousseau's House_

_Characters: Benjamin Linus, Alex Rousseau, Danielle Rousseau_

Rousseau: Do you mind passing me that plate, Dr. Linus? Thank you. It's so nice to cook for someone other than Alex.

Ben: Where is her father, if you don't mind me asking?

Rousseau: He died when she was two.

Ben: Oh, I didn't know. I am sor-

Rousseau: It's probably why she is so attached to you.

Ben: She is?

Rousseau: All the interest you've taken in her, all the help you've given her, you are the closest thing to a father she's ever had.

_Ben chokes up and steps into the other room and stares at Alex._

Rousseau: Are you all right?

Ben: _(wiping away a tear) _Oh, I'm sure it's just the onions.

Rousseau: _(smiling)_ I'll put in less next time.

_Enter Alex. She bounds into the kitchen as Ben is walking away toward the door. He reaches for his jacket on the hook, but has trouble putting it on with one arm in a sling. He tries to keep his face turned away from Alex so that she won't notice the tears in his eyes._

Alex: Oh! Are you leaving so soon?

Ben: I'm afraid so, Alex. I would love to stay and chat, but I have a benefit concert to go to tonight.

Alex: The one at the Natural History Museum? I love the museum! I have been begging my mom to take me to that for weeks. _Alex looks expectantly at her mother. _Can we go with Dr. Linus, please?

Rousseau: Well, I think that would be up to Dr. Linus.

Ben: I, uh, I really – _Ben forgets about the standing tears in his eyes and looks up at Alex._

Alex: What's wrong? Have you been crying? _She rushes toward him, and gives him a hug, triggering flashbacks. Ben remembers everything._

Ben: Of course you can come with me, Alex. You can always come with me.

**Scene xiv**

_Alternate Timeline_

_The Los Angeles Police Department_

_Characters: Kate Austin, James Ford (Sawyer), Desmond Hume, Hugo Reyes (Hurley), Ana Lucia Cortez_

_Desmond, Sayid and Kate are all in the back of a prisoner transport vehicle._

Desmond: Are we all about ready to get out of here?

Kate: What?

Desmond: Are you ready to get out of here? Go somewhere different?

Kate: Who are you?

Sayid: He's the crazy person who turned himself in.

Kate: Why would you do that?

Desmond: I ran over a man in a wheelchair.

Sayid: You see what I mean?

Desmond: Very well, I might be crazy, but I can still bust you out of here. Do you want to come with me or not?

Kate: What are you going to do? Ask the driver politely to stop?

Desmond: The driver already knows where to stop. But when she does, you are going to have to give me your trust.

Kate: Our trust?

Desmond: Yes. As soon as we get out of this, I need you to accompany me somewhere.

Kate: Who? Me? I am not some sort of –

Desmond: Both of you. And the driver. And the friend we're meeting. What do you say?

Sayid: _(sarcastically) _Oh, absolutely. I promise.

Desmond: And you?

Kate: Sure, I guess.

_The vehicle grinds to a halt, and Ana Lucia walks around to fling open the back doors. Desmond, Kate and Sayid blink in the sunlight. The van is parked on a pier in the shipping district. Hurley has his bright yellow Hummer parked just behind the van._

Ana Lucia: Which one of you is Hume?

Desmond: That'd be me.

Ana Lucia: Where is your friend with the money? Otherwise, I am going to have to say I shot you all trying to escape.

Hurley: That'd be me. _Presents her with an envelope, which she inspects._

Ana Lucia: Great. Let's go.

**Act II**

**Scene i**

_Alternate Timeline_

_The Parking Lot on the Pier_

_Characters: Desmond Hume, Kate Austin, Ana Lucia Cortez_

_Ana Lucia is leaning against the window of a black car, flipping through an envelope of cash._

Ana Lucia: Pleasure doing business with you.

Desmond: We will see you tonight, won't we?

Ana Lucia: _(still looking at the money)_ Sure, see you then. _She walks away._

_Desmond turns to Kate in the passenger seat of the car._

Desmond: Put this on. _He hands Kate a little black dress._

Kate: Where exactly are we going?

Desmond: It's a concert benefiting the Natural History Museum.

Kate: Seriously? You busted me out of jail to make me put on a dress and come to some charity concert?

Desmond: It's an important concert. You won't want to miss it.

Kate: Why? At least tell me why we're here.

Desmond: No one can tell you why you're here, Kate. Certainly not me.

Kate: Who are you?

Desmond: My name is Desmond Hume, and although you don't remember it yet, I'm your friend.

**Scene ii**

_Alternate Timeline_

_The Parking Lot of a Motel_

_Characters: Hugo Reyes (Hurley), Sayid Jarrah, Charlie Pace_

_Hurley pulls his yellow Hummer into the motel parking lot._

Sayid: I do not know who you are, what you want or why you got me out of prison, but you understand I cannot be held responsible for –

Hurley: Whatever, dude. _Produces a tranquilizer gun from the back seat. _You really don't recognize me, do you? None of this is ringing a bell?

Sayid: You must be insane.

Hurley: Yes, fine. I am insane. Now wait here.

Sayid: What if I don't?

Hurley: It's your choice, but if you stick with me, you'll be happy you did.

_Hurley exits the vehicle and takes the steps up to the row of motel doors. He knocks on one._

Charlie: Yeah, yeah, yeah. _Charlie opens the door holding a bottle of alcohol and a do not disturb sign. _Do not disturb! Who are you? Why are you grinning like a sodding idiot?

Hurley: Uh, you have a concert to perform tonight. I came to pick you up, uh, for the concert.

Charlie: Wow. Didn't I make it clear enough to Whitmore's other monkey? I don't care about any sodding concert.

Hurley: Charlie? What if I told you that playing this concert will be the most important thing you ever do? Would you come then?

Charlie: Sod off.

Hurley: Okay, dude. Sorry about this.

_Hurley shoots Charlie with the tranquilizer gun, and carries his limp body down the stairs and throws him in the back of the Hummer._

Sayid: What was that?

Hurley: That was Charlie.

**Scene iii**

_Original Timeline_

_The Jungle Clearing _

_Characters: Jack Shephard, Kate Austin, James Ford (Sawyer), Hugo Reyes (Hurley), Jacob_

_The camera focuses on Jacob; he has a faraway, meditative look on his face. As the camera pans out, things all around the campfire are moving absent of any contact. The flames in the fire pit are swirling, rocks are levitating all around the circle, and backpacks are hovering._

Hurley: So, uh…

Sawyer: Are you gonna teach the rest of us to do that?

Jacob: I wish I could, James. _Jacob lets the objects drop. _It's a genetic anomaly, the ability to manipulate electromagnetic fields with your own, the conscious mind. You either have it, or you don't. You can't learn, no matter how much I might want to teach you.

Sawyer: Well, do any of us have it then?

Jack: Is that the reason you were spying on us?

Jacob: Yes and no. Yes, I was watching you all, and arranged for you to be brought here because you are all potential candidates. In fact, I have been following your genealogy, tracing your family lineage, for generations in some cases, because you all come from families that carry the correct genetic material, but no, none of you have it.

Hurley: What is it?

Jacob: Protecting this island requires a strong psychokinetic ability, Hugo. You may need to control powerful bursts of electromagnetic radiation from the pockets all over the island or the whole thing could erupt. You may have to fend off well-meaning but misguided scientific expeditions. You may have an enemy to keep at bay.

_Enter Benjamin Linus, Richard Alpert, Miles Straume. They burst through the foliage into the clearing, looking winded and bedraggled._

Sawyer: Well, well. Look who arrived just in time for story time. Scootch in!

**Scene iv**

_Alternate Timeline_

_The Natural History Museum Grounds_

_Characters: Miles Chang, Dr. Pierre Chang, James Ford (Sawyer)_

_Dr. Chang is helping with the table settings for the fundraiser. Miles excuses himself to make a call._

Sawyer: Detective Ford.

Miles: Jim! It's Miles. I swear I just saw that Jarrah guy.

Sawyer: Are you at county lockup today?

Miles: No, I'm helping my dad at the museum like I told you. That's kind of the issue.

Sawyer: Well then it can't be Jarrah, because I put him in the wagon to county myself.

Miles: Really? Because I called them first, and they said he never arrived.

Sawyer: What!

Miles: Help me out here, Jim. Jarrah popped four people in cold blood. Only one witness left the scene alive, some Korean woman. You might want to check on her.

Sawyer: Sure thing. Sun Paik. Gunshot wound. Still in the hospital. Enjoy your concert, Enos. I'll keep her safe.

**Scene v**

_Original Timeline_

_The Jungle Clearing _

_Characters: Jacob, Jack Shephard, Kate Austin, James Ford (Sawyer), Hugo Reyes (Hurley), Benjamin Linus, Richard Alpert, Miles Straum_

Kate: You brought, like, fifty of us here, and none of us has any useful ability?

Jacob: Psychokinetic ability comes in varying degrees, and some of you do have some ability. For example, Miles can sense the residual consciousness field of the recently deceased.

Miles: So… they're not ghosts?

Jacob: No, there is no such thing as ghosts, Miles. Dead is dead, but individuals with particularly strong fields sometimes leave a sort of electromagnetic echo of their last thoughts. That's the reason you can hear some but not others, and that much is out of your control.

Miles: Juliet. She was concentrating so hard, trying to tell Sawyer that it worked, that when she died all I could hear was the echo of her voice saying, "It worked! It worked! It worked!"

Jack: And that's the way you're talking to us now?

Jacob: Physically, I am already dead, but I still have some residual mental energy, and I am using my own ability to manipulate the electromagnetic fields of your consciousness so that you can see and hear me. I am making myself appear to you so that we can interact, but I do not really exist in a physical capacity anymore. I haven't got much energy left. The echoes don't last forever, do they Miles?

Miles: No.

Jacob: Hugo has some sensitivity to it as well. I usually appear exclusively to Hugo because it takes me so much less energy for him to detect my presence. He has some slight manipulative ability too. Studies have shown that participants in scientific experiments can influence the results of a random number generator with their minds, and the lottery isn't much different from a random number generator, is it?

Hurley: Dude.

Sawyer: What about me, Ripley?

Jacob: James, you had two very talented parents, but managed to take nothing away from either of them. Except an insatiable appetite for vengeance.

Kate: I haven't got any ability either.

Jacob: Except for that one neat pyrokinetic trick.

Kate: I never meant to ignite it. I poured gasoline beneath the floor boards, and stuffed brittle, crumbling, old newspapers between the walls. He was always so saturated in whiskey, and his nostrils were so damaged from the drugs, he would never have even noticed the smell. My mother wasn't living with him anymore, and I… I wanted to make sure she never would again. I hid kindling in every nook and cranny of that house, but I never meant to do it myself. He always fell asleep on the couch with a lit cigarette in his mouth. I figured, sooner or later, he would do himself in. I never meant to ignite it, but as I walked away from the house, I just, I got so angry. I felt this white hot rage, and I wanted him to burn, and… and the whole house exploded.

Jacob: Not what I was expecting of you either.

Kate: I'd never done it before and I've never been able to do it again.

Jacob: Don't try, Kate.

Jack: Can I do anything like that?

Jacob: Apparently not, Jack. I had high hopes for you. Your father had enough residual mental energy and manipulative ability to make sure you found his casket, even after the crash, but I guess it skips a generation. Perhaps if you'd had a son, but it's too late for that now.

Sawyer: Well then, Alma, who does that leave?

**Scene vi**

_Original Timeline_

_Rose and Bernard's Camp_

_Characters: Rose Nadler, Bernard Nadler, Desmond Hume, Vincent, John Locke_

Rose: Morning.

Bernard: Morning, Desmond. Did you sleep okay?

Desmond: Aye. Your camp's a lot nicer than the bottom of a well.

Bernard: I think I'm gonna go ahead and take that as a compliment.

Desmond: Aye, it is, and a thank you as well.

Rose: Well, we weren't about to leave you down there! Now, are we gonna get the man some breakfast?

Bernard: Let me check the fish traps.

_Exit Bernard with Vincent._

Desmond: So Rose, tell me, how long have the two of you been living here?

Rose: Well, we built this place in '75, and then the sky lit up again, so… I really have no idea! Desmond, I don't mean to be rude, but after breakfast, I am going to ask you to move on again. We broke our rule with you.

Desmond: What rule is that?

Rose: We don't get involved. Whatever got you tossed in a well, that's exactly the kind of drama we don't want to deal with.

Desmond: Fair enough.

_Vincent barks. Bernard comes back to camp._

Rose: Ooh. Sounds like he caught something.

Bernard: I'm sorry. _John Locke is walking behind Bernard, with a gun pressed to his back._

Locke: Hello, Rose. Desmond, let me make this simple. Come with me now or I'll kill them both in front of you.

Rose: You don't have to go anywhere with him.

Locke: I'll make it hurt.

Desmond: I want your word. You won't harm them, _ever_.

Locke: Done.

Desmond: Let's go then.

**Scene vii**

_Original Timeline_

_The Jungle Clearing _

_Characters: Jacob, Jack Shephard, Kate Austin, James Ford (Sawyer), Hugo Reyes (Hurley), Benjamin Linus, Richard Alpert, Miles Straume_

Hurley: What about Walt? Walt had it, didn't he? That's why the Others wanted him so much?

Jacob: Certainly, he had the ability. Children often do. But I handled it poorly. I was so excited to realize I had a real candidate on the island that I wanted to make the transfer immediately. I instructed the Others, as you call them, to bring him to me, but I failed to give them enough instruction. They kidnapped him, separated him from his father and his dog. I made a fatal mistake with Walt. Walt hates this island now. He would never play the role. It's not enough to be capable; a true candidate has to want to protect the island, has to belong here, has to feel he was meant to do this.

Sawyer: You really should take Jack. Three out of four ain't bad.

Kate: Aaron has it too. I've seen him… move things.

Jacob: Yes, he has the ability too, but don't worry, Kate. I am not going to ask you to bring him back here.

Kate: Why not?

Jacob: You know Aaron. Even at that age, he has his own distinct personality, and he is far too willful for this role. He would never accept that he was meant to do this, that anything about his life was pre determined. He would always be trying to find a way to subvert that destiny and call it freedom. Have I misjudged him?

Kate: No. Not at all.

Jacob: Aaron is far too volatile, and I am afraid he would end up like my brother.

**Scene viii**

_Alternate Timeline_

_The Hospital_

_Characters: Sun-Hwa Paik, Jin-Soo Kwon, Juliet Carlson_

Jin: _(subtitled)_ How are you feeling?

Sun: _(subtitled) _Still sore.

Jin: _(subtitled) _That happens when you get shot. _He kisses her forehead. _Another doctor is coming to check on the baby. If the baby is okay, we can probably leave soon.

Sun: _(subtitled) _Leave? Where would we go? Just keep running from my father?

_Enter Juliet._

Juliet: Am I interrupting anything? Hello, Ms. Paik. My name is Juliet Carlson, and I am an obstetrician. I am going to make sure your baby is okay. _She smiles at Jin. _You must be the father. _Glances at the chart. _Oh, I'm sorry. You don't speak English. I'm, uh, I'll try not to talk too much.

_Juliet wheels the ultrasound machine around the side of the bed._

Juliet: Okay. Just lift up you gown a little bit. _She motions and applies gel to Sun's adomen. _It's a bit cold, I know. Okay. Let's take a look!

_Sun starts to see flashbacks of Juliet performing an ultrasound on her at the station on the island._

Juliet: Are you okay?

Jin: _(subtitled) _Are you all right?

Sun: _(subtitled)_ I… remember.

Jin: _(subtitled) _Remember what?

Juliet: There it is! There's your baby. _Juliet points to an image on the screen. Sun and Jin press their foreheads together and are consumed by the flashbacks. They both remember everything._

Sun: _(subtitled) _Did you see? _Jin nods._

Juliet: Do you see that tiny flutter there? That's the baby's heartbeat. Perfectly perfect in every way. I have your amino results too. Everything checked out. Your baby is fine. And if you want, you're probably far enough along that I could figure out if it's a boy or a girl.

Sun: It's a girl.

Juliet: Uh, yeah. Yes. It is.

Jin: Her name is Ji Yeon.

Juliet: That's a lovely name. And for the record, you two speak English just fine. Congratulations!

**Scene ix**

_Original Timeline_

_The Jungle Clearing _

_Characters: Jacob, Jack Shephard, Kate Austin, James Ford (Sawyer), Hugo Reyes (Hurley), Benjamin Linus, Richard Alpert, Miles Straume_

Jack: Your brother?

Jacob: Yes, you call him the smoke monster, and I suppose he is that, but he was once my brother.

Kate: What happened to him?

Jacob: Our adoptive mother, the previous protector of this island, she took us and raised us because we both had the requisite ability. She favoured him as her successor, but he never wanted the role. All he ever wanted was to leave the island. The role fell to me in the end. I am partially responsible for the way he is now, and I wish he could be free, but I can never let him leave the island now.

Jack: Why not?

Jacob: When he fell into the heart of island, the electromagnetic field of his consciousness merged with the field of the island itself. His physical body was destroyed, but he managed to harness the energy of the pocket and reconstruct himself in a new form. He is an inextricable part of the island now. If he goes too far away from it, he will rend the electromagnetic field from itself and trigger the collapse.

Miles: Doesn't he know that?

Richard: How would he? It's not as if Jacob tells anyone anything.

Ben: He's telling us now, Richard.

Jacob: Oh, he knows, but he is willing to risk his life and everyone else's life too. After all, there is a fifty percent change the Earth's magnetic field will reestablish itself in the same orientation, and nothing will change, leaving only a fifty percent chance of his ending all humanity. Even if he does end humanity, the collapse won't occur overnight. He could have twenty-five years of freedom. He has been a prisoner here so long, and he hates this island so much that he is willing to take that risk.

Richard: If he reaches the airplane, he could leave the island _tonight_.

Jacob: I never expected things to get this desperate. I figured I had at least another generation before he figured out how to kill me, but I underestimated him. The island needs a new protector now.

Jack: Then we'll have to take our chances with Aaron or Walt.

Hugo: Wait. Which one is the candidate: Sun or Jin? The list just says Kwon.

Jacob: They both are. That's why I didn't specify, but it doesn't matter. The Kwons turned out to be like Jack. I think one more generation might have worked a miracle, but neither of them possessed any real power.

Hugo: Well, they have a daughter.

Kate: Ji Yeon. She's an orphan now.

Jacob: They have a daughter?

Sawyer: What? Were you napping on the job, God?

Ben: He's telekinetic, not omnipotent. And he hasn't exactly been able to get off the island much since I murdered him.

Jacob: Where is she now?

Kate: In Los Angeles. Her grandmother was going to care for her until Sun and Jin came home. Are you sure she has your ability though?

Jacob: Certain. There was a reason I introduced Sun and Jin and blessed the union at their wedding. She has to be the one. _The apparition of Jacob starts to flicker. The flames in the fire pit are dwindling._

Jacob: You all need to move now. Do not let Charles Whitmore's explosive rigging destroy that airplane! You need to find Frank Lapidus, and reach the airplane before John Locke does. Half of you need to fly to Los Angeles and bring Ji Yeon back here. The other half of you need to stay here to defend the island and stop John Locke.

Jack: How do we do that?

Jacob: I don't know, but I have a theory.

Sawyer: We're all ears.

Jacob: When he fell into the heart of the island the first time, his consciousness merged with the electromagnetic field of the island. I think the same would happen to any candidate. But there is hardly any of the human being left now. If he were pushed in a second time, I think all that remains of his personal entity would merge with the island completely.

Jack: We'll need Desmond to do that, won't we?

Jacob: Yes, I think so. Desmond has an interesting ability, one I have never seen before. He has complete immunity to electromagnetism. If he were here now, he probably wouldn't even see me.

Richard: I'm having a bit of trouble seeing you myself.

Jacob: Please –

_Jacob flickers and vanishes._

Hurley and Miles: He said, "Go now!"

**Scene x**

_Alternate Timeline_

_The Hospital_

_Characters: Jack Shephard, John Locke_

_John Locke is being helped out of his wheelchair and onto a gurney to be prepped for surgery._

Jack: Hello, Mr. Locke.

Locke: Dr. Shephard! Since you're about to do surgery on my spine, you should probably just start calling me John.

Jack: Okay John. Just wanted to check in before we started the anesthesia. Are you nervous?

Locke: Are you sure this is going to work?

Jack: Yes. Actually, yes, I am very confident it will.

Locke: Really?

Jack: Well, with any surgical procedure there is the risk I could kill you, but I'm trying to make you feel better here.

Locke: Okay, okay. Let's do this.

Jack: All right. I will see you on the other side.

Locke: Oh, umm, Dr. Shephard? At L.A.X., when we met in baggage claim, you mentioned the airline had, well, lost your father. Did he ever turn up?

Jack: As a matter of fact, he did. I, uh, got the call this morning. They found the coffin.

Locke: Oh, good Well, I hope that brings you some peace.

Jack: If I can fix you, Mr. Locke, that will be all the peace I need.

**Scene xi**

_Alternate Timeline_

_The Hospital_

_Characters: Jack Shephard, Juliet Carlson, David Shephard_

Juliet: Doctor.

Jack: (_smiling) _Doctor. I didn't think you'd still be here?

Juliet: I stayed a little late to attend to a, uh, special case. Did you get the tickets for the concert?

Jack: Yep. Right here. _He hands her the tickets._

_Enter David._

David: Did you remember to bring the tickets, Dad?

Jack: I just gave them to your Mom. _Juliet hands the tickets to David. He looks at them._

David: You got an extra one?

Jack: Well, I thought you might want to invite your Aunt Claire along? I'm sure she'd love to get out of the house.

_David looks skeptically at Juliet._

Juliet: Sure. It's fine with me. In fact, I am very curious to meet this mysterious sister you never mentioned the entire time we were married.

Jack: Well, she was a surprise to me too. You're going to love her though. She's extremely pregnant.

_Jack and Juliet laugh._

Juliet: Are you ready to go?

Jack: Actually, you guys go ahead without me. I am waiting for a patient to wake up. He's just being wheeled into recovery now. I want to see how it went. I will catch up with you soon.

Juliet: Okay then. Good luck, Doctor.

Jack: Thank you.

**Scene xii**

_Alternate Timeline_

_The Hospital_

_Characters: Jack Shephard, John Locke_

_Locke is in the recovery room, just starting to stir. Jack is standing by._

Jack: Are you awake, John? Can you hear me? _Locke opens and closes his eyes slowly, trying to regain focus. He groans. Jack smiles. _Okay. You just had major surgery, so I need you to try not to move. Just relax.

Locke: It worked.

Jack: Uh, the surgery itself went well, definitely, but we won't know how your body will respond to it for a few –

Locke: No, Dr. Shephard, it worked! I can feel my feet.

Jack: John, it's highly unlikely that you would regain sensation so soon, so – _Jack glances to the foot of bed and sees Locke wiggling his toes under the blanket. _Oh. _Jack moves to the foot of the bed and pulls the sheet and blanket away. Locke watches his toes wiggle and has a flashback to the first time he moved his feet after the crash. Locke remembers everything._

Locke: Did you see that?

Jack: See what? _Locke smiles at Jack._

Locke: You don't remember? _Jack has a momentary recollection, but shakes his head to clear it._

Jack: Umm, Mr. Locke. _He shakes his head and pulls the blankets back into place. _Please, ah, just relax if you can. What we need to do now is –

Locke: What we need to do is go.

Jack: Whoa. No, no no no. Hey. John. You can't go anywhere right now.

Locke: But we have to go back. The island is unprotected again. We saved the island once, but in this reality, here and now, it's in danger again. Will you come with me?

Jack: No, we are not going anywhere. You've just had extensive spinal surgery, and I, my son is performing at a concert tonight. I need to see my son.

Locke: You don't have a son.

Jack: _Walking toward the door, he turns back. _Excuse me?

Locke: You don't have a son, Jack. _Jack just stares and shakes his head. _Nevermind. I hope that someone at this concert does for you what you just did for me!

_Jack leaves the room._

**Scene xiii**

_Original Timeline_

_The Jungle Clearing _

_Characters: Jack Shephard, Kate Austin, James Ford (Sawyer), Hugo Reyes (Hurley), Benjamin Linus, Richard Alpert, Miles Straume_

Sawyer: You heard the ghost, people. Let's go! Kate and I will go find Lapidus and try to get that plane going. Doc, you and Hurley stay here and take care while we're gone. _Jack nods._

Miles: I'm going with you guys. That airplane might be my last chance to get off this rock, and I am not going to take the chance of it leaving without me.

Ben: I'll stay here. _Pause. _I spent so many years pretending this was somehow my island. I'll go down with the ship if it comes to that.

Richard. I'll stay too.

Jack: Okay. Let's go then. _The two groups part ways._

**Scene xiv**

_Alternate Timeline_

_The Hospital_

_Characters: Sun-Hwa Paik, Jin-Soo Kwon, James Ford (Sawyer), Jack Shephard, Juliet Carlson_

_Sawyer approaches a hospital room. The door is already ajar, but he knocks tentatively._

Sawyer: Excuse me, Miss Paik?

Sun: Hello.

Sawyer: Hi. I'm Detective Ford, L.A.P.D. I heard you had been shot. I wasn't expecting you to be checking out so soon. _Looks at Jin. _Hey.

Jin: Hello. _Jin is smiling widely at Sawyer._

Sawyer: Well, I wanted to know if you've seen this man. _Sawyer produces a photograph of Sayid. Sun just smiles. _He escaped custody, and as the only surviving witness, we are worried he might come after you. So I am going to assign a uniform to keep an eye on you until we can –

Sun: You don't have to do that. _Sun and Jin start to leave the room._

Sawyer: All due respect ma'am, but yes, I do. I have a job to do here and that job is to keep you safe.

Sun: It's okay. I am safe.

Jin: We'll see you there.

Sawyer: See me where?

_Exit Sun and Jin. Sawyer wanders down the opposite hospital corridor dejected and confused. He passes Jack in the hallway._

Sawyer: Hey. Do you know where I can get some grub around here.

Jack: Uh, the cafeteria is closed, but there's a vending machine down that hallway. _He points._

Sawyer: Thanks, doc.

Jack: Yeah, uh, no problem. _He continues on his way. Sawyer seeks out the vending machine, flattens out a dollar bill and inserts it into the machine. He makes a selection, but the candy gets stuck._

Sawyer: Oh, come on! _He shakes the machine but nothing changes. _Unbelievable. _He crouches down on his hands and knees and attempts to reach his hand up inside the vending machine. While he is concentrating, Juliet approaches behind him, looking amused._

Juliet: Can I help you?

Sawyer: It's okay. I'm, uh, I'm a cop.

Juliet: Maybe you should read the machine it's rights before you do that? _Sawyer laughs. _Can I tell you a secret?

Sawyer: Please.

Juliet: If you unplug it, and then plug it back in, the candy drops right down.

Sawyer: Is that so?

Juliet: Yeah, and it's technically legal too. This machine does that all the time.

Sawyer: Oh. Well, I gotta give that a try. _He unplugs the machine and the lights in the whole corridor flicker on and off. _Oops. _Juliet laughs. He plugs it back in and the candy drops. Juliet collects it and hands it to him. As their fingers brush against each other, both sense something._

Sawyer: Whoa. Did you feel that?

Juliet: Uh, I felt something. _Pause. _We should get together sometime. Coffee? _She seems awkward all of a sudden, but Sawyer reaches out and grabs her hand. As they hold hands, they both flashback to their time together on the island, living in the barracks, and Sawyer holding Juliet from falling. They both remember._

Sawyer: Juliet? Is it? It's really you. Juliet! It's me. _They embrace and Juliet is somewhere between laughing and sobbing. _It's me. I gotcha, babe. I gotcha.

**Act III**

**Scene i**

_Alternate Timeline_

_The Natural History Museum Grounds_

_Characters: Charles Whitmore, Eloise Hawking, Dr. Pierre Chang, Miles Chang, Charlotte Lewis, Desmond Hume_

_At the venue, Eloise and Miles are still working on the table settings, but Whitmore and Dr. Chang have gotten distracted listening to Charlotte talk about her work._

Charlotte: It's called CEMI theory now, meaning Conscious Electromagnetic Information theory, but it was developed by two researchers independently of each other. Johnjoe McFadden at the University of Surry, and Susan Pocket in New Zealand. Scientists have mapped almost the whole brain now, and can specify the physical part of brain responsible for almost any function – except consciousness. We have never been able to locate the actual physical area of the brain where consciousness occurs. So their theory is that consciousness is controlled not by an internal biological component, but by an external electromagnetic field, surrounding and permeating it.

Dr. Chang: Well, there is definitely electromagnetic activity in and around the brain; that is what an EEG measures.

Whitmore: What about MRIs? How is it that we can stay conscious through an MRI?

Charlotte: The brain is insulated by an infrastructure of fluid-filled ventricles called a Faraday cage, and McFadden thinks that protects us from external electromagnetic activity. Besides, the fields used in an MRI are static. A changing electromagnetic field can induce seizures in an otherwise healthy person. The geomagnetic field is static too - until it collapses.

Whitmore: What do you think of all this, Ms. Lewis?

Charlotte: The theory certainly makes sense. A field would allow all the neurons in the brain to connect with each other simultaneously make all those disparate bits of information contained in different sections work together as an integrated whole – consciousness. Even patients who have had their corpus callum, the bundle of nerves that connects the left and right hemispheres of the brain, severed can still make a full recovery and function normally even though their brain isn't physically connected.

Dr. Chang: Fascinating!

_Enter Desmond. _

Desmond: Ah, Ms. Lewis! You made it!

Whitmore: Indeed, she did, and I am so pleased she accepted your invitation. _Charlotte blushes slightly._

Charlotte: It's been an honour to meet you both, and so encouraging to speak to someone who is actually interested. I usually feel like I am just babbling to myself. I hope I haven't talked your ear off.

Whitmore: Oh, no. We're very interested.

_Desmond wanders over to help Eloise and Miles with the table settings. Eloise glares and drags him aside._

Eloise: Why did you bring her here?

Desmond: She has a right to be here. All of them have a right to be here.

Eloise: Not her. We already know she isn't a candidate. She never was. She was so sensitive to the electromagnetic radiation it killed her once. You had no need to bring her here.

Desmond: She deserves to be present for the decision we are all going to make tonight.

Eloise: And you knew Daniel would be here. She'll trigger his –

Desmond: Tonight, they are all going to remember. Whether Charlotte triggers it or someone else does, Daniel is going to remember everything.

Eloise: _Starting to sob slightly. _Yes, I know that. I am just not ready to lose him again. I already sacrificed him to that island once. I already lost my son once. I cannot stand to lose him again.

Desmond: You won't lose him.

Eloise: But he'll know. He'll never speak to me again.

Desmond: You don't know that. Perhaps he'll forgive you in time.

**Scene ii**

_Original Timeline_

_The Jungle_

_Characters: James Ford (Sawyer), Kate Austin, Miles Straume_

_The characters are hiking through the jungle toward the beach._

Miles: Where do you figure we're supposed to find Lapidus?

Sawyer: My plan wasn't to find Lapidus; it was to find the plane.

Kate: Why?

Sawyer: Well, Jacob said Whitmore had the thing rigged with explosives, so I think it ought to be our priority to get to it before someone else does, because it ain't gonna matter if we find the pilot if there we ain't got no airplane.

Miles: Fair enough.

Sawyer: Besides, if you're tryin' to find a pilot, stands to reason he might be tryin' to find a plane himself.

_The jungle ends and they emerge onto the beach, blinking in the bright sunlight. One of the paddle boats is still beached on the shore and they carry it out into the water and climb in._

Kate: Let's go then.

**Scene iii**

_Original Timeline_

_The Heart of the Island_

_Characters: Jack Shepard, Hugo Reyes (Hurley), Benjamin Linus, Richard Alpert_

_The characters are all staring at the glow emanating from the hollow in the stream._

Jack: Well, we found it. Now how do we protect it?

Ben: By killing the monster.

Hurley: Okay. How do we do that?

Ben: We set a trap.

Richard: And how do you propose we trap that thing.

Ben: Do you remember the fencing all around the barracks? The fence posts are particle accelerators. They have the same effect as that powder Whitmore poured on the ground in the tunnels, or the perimeter of the temple. The microscopic particulate matter disrupts the continuity of an electromagnetic field. It knocks a normal person unconscious, but it would do much more damage to his already disparate being.

Richard: We haven't got any more of that powder, have we?

Ben: No, but the fence posts are still there. If the four of us can carry them, we only need three, we can set up a triangular perimeter around the heart of the island.

Jack: Okay. Worth a try.

**Scene iv**

_Original Timeline_

_The Jungle_

_Characters: John Locke, Desmond Hume._

Locke: Do you have any idea where I am taking you, Desmond?

Desmond: No, but I imagine it has a very bright light.

Locke: Why do you say that?

Desmond: Oh, just a hunch. You are trying to leave the island though, aren't you?

Locke: Yes, but before I leave, I need to go to the very heart of the island and destroy it.

Desmond: And why is that, brother?

Locke: Leaving the island is going to be difficult for me, heartbreaking even. It will be like tearing myself in two. If I destroy it first though, I might be able to take some more of that energy away with me and sever our connection more cleanly.

Desmond: And you need me for that?

**Scene v**

_Alternate Timeline_

_The Natural History Museum Grounds_

_Characters: Charles Whitmore, Eloise Hawking, Penny Whitmore, Daniel Whitmore, Desmond Hume, Dr. Pierre Chang, Miles Chang, Charlotte Lewis, others arriving._

_The characters are starting to take their seats as concerts guests arrive. Eloise is watching with regret as Daniel approaches Charlotte and they talk. As she watches, Daniel touches Charlotte's arm and seems to see something. They embraces and both cry and Eloise knows he has remembered everything. She turns away._

_Enter Rose Nadler and Bernard Nadler._

Eloise: _She wipes away a few tears and turns to smile at her guests. _Welcome to the Natural History Museum. May I have your seat assignments?

Bernard: Thank you.

Rose: Table twenty-one?

Eloise: Thank you, yours is the third table in on the left there.

_Enter Hugo Reyes (Hurley) with Libby Smith._

Hurley: Hello, Eloise.

Eloise: Hello, Hugo.

Hurley: Big night tonight, eh? _She makes no response but tears well in her eyes again. _It'll be okay. _She nods and Hurley pats her on the shoulder as they go past her to their table._

_Enter the next couple. They are Boone Carlyle and Shannon Rutherford._

Eloise: Welcome to the Natural History Museum. May I have your seat assignments?

_Behind her, other characters can be seen taking their seats, including Dr. Benjamin Linus, Danielle Rousseau, Alex Rousseau, Ana Lucia Cortez, Sun-Hwa Paik and Jin-Soo Kwon._

**Scene vi**

_Original Timeline_

_The Ocean_

_Characters: James Ford (Sawyer), Kate Austin, Miles Straume, Frank Lapidus_

_The characters are paddling the boat across from the main island to the airplane on Hydra Island._

_In the distance, Sawyer sees something floating on the water, possibly debris from the submarine explosion. He squints at it._

Lapidus: Help!

Sawyer: What the hell? You hear that?

Kate: Yup. _They paddle frantically to find Frank Lapidus clinging to a piece of debris. They haul him into the boat._

Kate: Are you okay?

Lapidus: _Breathing heavily, but nodding. _I will be now.

Sawyer: Well, that plan worked well.

Lapidus: Where are you going?

Sawyer: To Hyrda Island.

Lapidus: Are you going to get off this island?

Sawyer: Now that we've got you we are!

**Scene vii**

_Alternate Timeline_

_The Natural History Museum Grounds_

_Characters: All_

_At one of the tables, Juliet Carlson is talking with James Ford (Sawyer). Claire is still quietly across the table from them. Kate Austin, wearing the little black dress, approaches with Sayid Jarrah, dressed in a similar black suit._

Kate: Excuse me. Is this table twenty-three?

Juliet: _She smiles at them both. _Yes, it is. Have a seat.

_A few moments later, Jack rushes over._

Jack: _He slides into his seat unceremoniously. _What have I missed?

Juliet: Nothing. He hasn't started playing yet.

Sawyer: Hi Doc.

Jack: Hello?

Sawyer: Oh. Where are my manners? I'm detective James Ford. I'm with the L.A.P.D., but tonight I'm just with Juliet.

Jack: Oh? I didn't know Juliet was seeing anyone. _He gives Juliet a quizzical look. She shrugs._

Juliet: I didn't know until quite recently myself.

_Acting as master of ceremonies, Desmond Hume approaches the microphone and clears his throat. The crowd goes silent. Desmond announces the first act._

Desmond: Welcome all to the Natural History Museum. Thank you all so much for your support. As a special treat, we want to introduce to you a remarkable young artist doing his debut performance. At only fourteen years old, David Shephard has a rare talent indeed.

_Desmond steps away, and David Shepard takes the stage and sits at the grand piano. The audience stays silent as he starts to play. There are murmurs of awe as he beings._

Juliet: He's incredible, isn't he?

Jack: It's amazing. It's… impossible. How can play all those notes? How can he possibly have enough fingers to hit all those keys at once?

Juliet: He doesn't need to.

Jack: What?

Juliet: He doesn't need to hit all the keys. _Squinting to see, Jack peers at his son playing the piano and realizes that he is not, in fact, hitting all the keys. He is using his hands to hit some of the key, but others are being depressed on their own, independent of his touch._

Juliet: It's the reason he stopped practicing at your place, you know. He didn't want you to notice and make a big medical fuss about it.

Jack: How long have you known about this?

Juliet: A few months now.

Jack: Aren't you worried?

Juilet: Oh, I am worried, but I think we have to support his ability however he decides to use it. _They listen to the rest of the performance in silence. _

_At the end of the performance, Claire winces and motions for Juliet to come over._

Juliet: Are you okay, Claire?

Claire: Uh, I don't know. I, uh, think I felt a contraction. _She winces again and gives a strangled gasp._

Juliet: Let's get you out of here. Kate, can you come help me?

Kate: Me? _She comes around and both Juliet and Kate put an arm around Claire and haul her to her feet._

**Scene viii**

_Alternate Timeline_

_Backstage at the Benefit Concert_

_Characters: Charlie Pace, David Shephard, Claire Littleton, Juliet Carlson, Kate Austin_

_Charlie is lying on a couch. He has a sign stuck to him that says, "Bass Player. Wake Me For Show". David hesitantly shakes him._

_Charlie gives a grunt of protest in his sleep._

David: Drive Shaft is on deck.

Charlie: What?

David: You're supposed to play next.

Charlie: Oh, sod off! I already told you I'm not – _He opens his eyes and sees that he is yelling at a fourteen year old. _Oh, fine. I'm up. I'm up. Now go away.

_Enter Juliet and Kate, supporting Claire._

Juliet: Can we use that couch? Thanks. _Charlie, alarmed, dashes out of the way. Juliet and Kate lay Claie out on the couch. Claire moans as another contraction grips her. _The baby is coming a bit quicker that I expected, but so far things seem normal.

Kate: What is it you wanted me for?

Juliet: Just take care of her; keep her company, talk to her, keep her comfortable while I go get some supplies.

Kate: What? I'm really not good at –

Juliet: I think you'll find you have a lot in common. _As she leaves the stage she musses David's hair with one hand. _You were great up there! _David just stares. Claire is clearly in a lot of pain now._

Kate: Umm. Okay. I, umm, I am going to get you comfortable. You relax and breathe. Just relax and breathe. _She scrambles around the room collecting cushions. David hands some pillows and cushions to her too. She tries to prop Claire to a comfortable semi-reclining position. Charlie stands there in shock._

Claire: Good. Yeah, there is good. _Charlie grins. _Who are you?

Charlie: I, uh, I'm with the band. _Claire makes another gargled noise._

Kate: Can you find us some blankets?

Charlie: Blankets? Yeah. Uh, yeah. _Exit Charlie. Claire continues to make strangled sounds._

Kate: Just breathe, okay? Breathe, and breathe, and breath. Help is on the way.

Claire: I am not ready for this. I'm scared.

Kate: I'm scared too. Really scared. But I cannot do this for you. You are doing really well so far, but you have to breathe. _Claire takes Kate's hand and squeezes it through the next contraction. Kate presses her forehead again Claire's and it triggers a flashback. They both remember everything._

Juliet: _Reenter Juliet with her medical kit. _Ready? This is about the time you start to push. _Claire nods and groans. _Okay? One, two, three, push! Good, that's good. We're gonna try that again. One, two, three, push! I think once more will do it. Push! Push again. _Juliet delivers the baby. She wraps him in a towel and hands him to Claire._

Claire: It's Aaron. _Looking at Kate. _It's Aaron! It's really him.

Kate: Yes.

Charlie: _Reenter Charlie holding a blanket. _I got the blanket. _Claire looks overjoyed to see him and Kate has tears standing in her eyes._

Kate: Thank you!

Charlie: It's just a blanket.

Kate: Go ahead and bring it to her. _As Charlie hands Claire the blanket, their fingers touch and then she grasps his hand triggering him to remember everything too._

Claire: Charlie!

Charlie: Claire? Claire! _They kiss. Aaron cries. _Aww, Aaron. Hello Aaron. Shh. It's okay, Aaron.

**Scene ix**

_Original Timeline_

_The Heart of the Island_

_Characters: Jack Shepard, Hugo Reyes (Hurley), Benjamin Linus, Richard Alpert, Desmond Hume, John Locke, Claire Littleton. _

_The characters are all panting and perspiring from moving the fence posts, but they are now set up all around the heart of the island. They watch the glowing well from outside the perimeter. _

Hurley: Does it work?

Ben: _He has a portable control panel with a switch. He flips the switch, and then tries to put his hand toward the perimeter. The force field crackles and his hand shimmers momentarily. He pulls his hand back. _Ouch! Yes, it works.

Jack: What do we do now?

Ben: We wait.

Hurley: Forever?

Ben: Possibly. The heart of the island is protected again, but we must remain vigilante. That is our job.

_No sooner has he said this than a rustling in the foliage reveals Desmond and Locke coming toward the heart of the island. Desmond passes right between the fences posts and nothing happens, but Locke has problems. He steps up to the perimeter and his whole body shimmers, getting caught somewhere between his projected human form and his smoke monster form._

Locke: Ah, very clever Benjamin, but you underestimate how much I want to leave this island. I am willing to rend myself in more ways that one. In fact, that is what I've come here to do.

_Finally, he takes a deep breath and plows right through the perimeter. The force field crackles and makes a sound like a bug zapper. He briefly becomes smoke, but quickly recollects himself. Jack, Hurley, Ben and Richard watch horrified as Locke inspects the heart of the island. When Locke is immersed in thought and turned the other way, Desmond turns to Jack. Jack motions for Desmond to push him into the chasm. Desmond is about the bowl Locke into the heart of the island when Claire comes rushing out of the jungle to warn him._

Claire: Look out! _She hits the force field, and falls back, stunned, but Locke has been alerted. He turns around and grapples with Desmond._

Richard: Damn it!

_Jack goes to collect Claire. She is lying on her back, stunned but still conscious, her eyes darting frantically._

Claire: I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said anything. It's just that he was my only friend for so long here. _She starts to cry._

Jack: It's okay, Claire. It's okay. Come on up here with us.

Ben: It is not okay! We were so close, and now he is beating up on our only weapon. This cannot go on like this. This has to end now.

Jack: What you planning to do, Ben?

Ben: I wasn't really born on this island, but I am prepared to die on it.

_Ben flips the switch on the portable control panel, and runs straight through the perimeter toward the heart of the island. Locke and Desmond are still grappling, locked together a few steps from the glowing well. Ben plows into them and bowls all three of them into the heart of the island. The heart of island emits a blindingly bright white light and makes a mechanical noise like that of the smoke monster but much louder and the whole island shudders. As soon as the light subsides, Jack, Hurley and Richard all run to the heart of the island. They kneel down and peer into the well._

Richard: Hello?

Jack: Is anyone alive down there?

Desmond: I am, brother. _Richard and Hurley throw a rope down and haul Desmond up the well. Desmond is shocked; he shakes and coughs, but he seems okay. _They just… disappeared.

_The island has become eerily quiet. The shaking has stopped and the heart of island has resumed its warm glow._

Richard: It's over now. It's really over.

Desmond: Indeed, brother. I think it is.

_Claire has come over to the rest of them, standing aside sheepishly._

Jack: Claire! Kate and Sawyer and Miles went to find Lapidus and get the plane going. You should try to catch them. You should go with them, get off this island, see your son.

Claire: Aren't you leaving too? _Jack and Hurley and Richard look at each other._

Jack: No, we're going to stay here until the island has a proper protector.

Claire: I don't know. Look at me. I look crazy. This island's made me crazy. I don't want to go home like this. I don't want Aaron to see me like this, to have a crazy mother. I don't know how to be a mother anymore.

Jack: No one does, but you won't be alone. You'll have Kate, and your mother. They're waiting and willing to help you. You can do this. Let them help you.

Claire: Are you sure?

Richard: Yes, we are.

Jack: Go, Claire. It's okay. Go catch them.

_Claire runs into the jungle._

**Scene x**

_Alternate Timeline_

_The Natural History Museum Grounds_

_Characters: Jack Shephard, Kate Austin_

_Beyond the pavilion with all the seating arrangements, Jack is pacing on the hill. The concert seems to have stopped temporarily, probably because Drive Shaft is supposed to be playing. Kate approaches Jack from the stage door._

Jack: What happened? How is she?

Kate: Don't worry. Claire did very well, is doing very well. So is Aaron.

Jack: Aaron?

Kate: Juliet delivered the baby, a baby boy named Aaron.

Jack: Oh. Wow. I'm sorry. Do I know you from somewhere?

Kate: I stole your pen.

Jack: What?

Kate: Uh, Oceanic flight 815 from Sydney to Los Angeles? I bumped into you coming out of the bathroom and I stole your pen.

Jack: And that's how I know you?

Kate: No, that's not how you know me. _She walks straight up to him and kisses him and triggers his memory. _I missed you so much.

Jack: I missed you too.

Kate: Come on though. We ought to get back to the concert.

**Scene xi**

_Original Timeline_

_Hydra Island_

_Characters: James Ford (Sawyer), Kate Austin, Miles Straume, Frank Lapidus_

_The pilot is working on the engine of the airplane while Kate and Sawyer stand guard and glace at him expectantly._

Sawyer: Well? Are we gettin' off this island or aren't we?

Lapidus: All right. It ain't pretty, but we're gettin' off. I gotta reset the electronics. The instruments get all screwed up on this island. _He flips a series of switches on the instrument panel. _Still something wrong the mechanics down by the nose wheel. Any of you guys mechanics?

Miles: No, but I worked for a contractor renovating apartments one summer.

Lapidus: Great. _He throws him a flashlight and some duct tape. _Go make sure the wheel is attached in such a way that it can turn. _Miles disappears and Frank continues checking the instruments gagues. _There! We go it. Come on! Let's go. _Kate and Sawyer and Miles clamber into the airplane and Lapidus starts the engine up. _Ahaha! Listen to that!

_As the airplane taxis along the strip, turning around in order to take off, Claire comes running out into the clearing, shouting and waving her arms above her head._

Kate: Stop!

Frank: Oh hell! Hard to stop this thing now.

Kate: You have to! You have to stop. We can't leave without her. _Lapidus turns the airplane around again and slows it enough for Claire to run alongside. Kate and Sawyer haul Claire into the cabin._

Lapidus: Woohoo! We have everyone now? _Kate nods. _Brace yourselves!

_The passengers strap themselves in, and the airplane takes off._

**Scene xii**

_Alternate Timeline_

_The Natural History Museum Grounds_

_Characters: All_

_Acting again as Master of Ceremonies, Desmond Hume takes the stage. John Lock is being brought to the front row in a wheelchair. _

Desmond: Welcome all again. Do we all remember who we are now? If you do, you understand why it was so important that we get together again. We are the lucky ones. We have managed to have our cake and eat it too. We saved the island without ever having crashed on it. We protected it there and continued with our lives here. But we haven't done enough. In one reality, the island is safe, protected by the powerful Ji Yeon with help from our own Jack Shephard and Hugo Reyes and others they have gathered along the way. In this reality though, the island is still in danger. Jacob still wages his war with his brother, still searching for a candidate. We must provide the island with its next protector.

Hurley: _Addressing Sun and Jin specifically. _If I may say so, Ji Yeon was a wonderful protector; she grew up to be wise and beautiful and noble. She never resented her duty and I know she would gladly do it again.

Sawyer: Nah, we can't do that!

Ben: The Kwons already gave up their daughter once, in a world where she was orphaned. In this world, she still has her family, and they still have a chance to have a normal life with her.

Kate: Not Aaron either. He has his mother back, and those two deserve a fresh start together.

Jack: Who else has the ability? _As he says this, he recalls Jacob saying, "Perhaps if you'd had a son…"_

David: It's me, isn't it? _Suddenly, the whole congregation turns to see who has spoken. It is David, walking calmly up the aisle toward the stage. Desmond smiles at him. Jack tugs his sleeve as he passes. _

Jack: You know you don't have to do this if you don't want to.

David: I know. I want to. I… I think I'm supposed to. _David takes the stage and addresses the whole group. _It's supposed to be me. I was meant to do this.

Jack: _Turning to John Locke. _You see, John? He is my son.

Locke: Indeed he is.

Juliet: Wait. I am not letting him go to live on that island alone.

Sawyer: Why don't we go with him?

Juliet: Are you serious? You would go back with us? _Sawyer nods and grins. _You would!

Jack: I'd want to go with you too, David.

David: I'd like that.

Jack: What about you, Kate? Will you come with us.

Kate: Yes. Yes, I will. I missed my chance to be with you once, and I won't miss it again.

Sawyer: Well, all right then! We'll all go back! _The four of them, Jack, Kate, Juliet and Sawyer gather around David and embrace and cry tears of joy._

**Scene xiii**

_Original Timeline_

_The Heart of the Island_

_Characters: Jack Shepard, Hugo Reyes (Hurley), Richard Alpert, Frank Lapidus, Kate Austin, Ji Yeon_

_The setting suggests that months have passed. The heart of the island, the glowing crevice in the stream is now surrounded by a camp, complete with bamboo huts and palm thatched roofs. Kate is handing baby Ji Yeon to Hurley._

Hurley: She's perfect.

Kate: She is, isn't she?

Jack: Did you have to kidnap her?

Kate: No, her grandmother is dying, and… she understood. I told her the truth and it seemed like she really understood. She knew Ji Yeon was special. She had seen what she can do.

Richard: So Jacob was right.

Kate: Yes, he was.

Hurley: We're gonna take really good care of you, Ji Yeon.

Richard: Are we? Are we all staying then?

Lapidus: Not me. I am just the delivery boy. I am going back.

Richard: I, uh, I want to go too. I mean, not home, but… somewhere. I want to go somewhere. I haven't left this island in so long.

Jack: Go. We'll stay. Others will come. _Kate is thinking quietly. _What about you, Kate? Will you stay?

Kate: No, I, uh... No, I won't. I still have Aaron, and Claire needs help getting over her ordeal. They still need me. I have something to go home to.

Jack: I understand.

Kate: You can come with us, Jack. You can come with me.

Jack: No, I can't. I can't leave Hurley to raise Ji Yeon all alone, and, and this is something I have to do, I'm supposed to do. This is my contribution.

Kate: _She has tears standing in her eyes. _Tell me I'm gonna see you again.

Jack: Someday, somewhere.

Kate: I love you.

Jack: I love you too. _They kiss and intertwine their hands. Then Kate steps back, squeezes his hand one last time, looks into his eyes and then turns away. Kate, Lapidus and Richard depart into the sunset. _

**Scene xiv**

_Mixture of Timelines_

_In the Airplane_

_Characters: Frank Lapidus, Kate Austin, Richard Alpert and Jack Shephard, Kate Austin, Juliet Carlson, James Ford (Sawyer), David Shephard_

_ Sequence of sideways cuts showing the airplanes taking off. One is taxiing around the clearing on Hydra Island, turning around to take off. The other is taxiing along the runway of LAX. In one, the passengers are scrambling to find their seatbelts and strap themselves in for a rough take off. Kate is crying. In the other, the passengers are sitting calmly, squeezing each other's hands. _

_ Finally, as the flights are over the Pacific Ocean, all the characters look out the windows, press their fingers and foreheads to the glass, and the airplanes appear to pass each other. _

**Consulted Works and Related Texts**

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2. Coe, Robert and Michel Prévot. "Evidence Suggesting Extremely Rapid Field Variations During A Geomagnetic Reversal". Earth and Planetary Science Letters: Volume 92, Issues 3-4. Elsevier B.V.; London: January 11th, 1989.

3. Coe, Robert and Michel Prévot and Edward Mankinen and Sherman Gromme. "How The Geomagnetic Field Vector Reverses Polarity". Nature: Volume 316, Number 6025. Macmillan Journals Limited; New York: July 18th, 1985. Available at: ./~

4. Crystal, Ellie. "Psychokinesis/Telekinesis". Crystalinks: Metaphysics and Science Site. Updated: November 19th, 2010. Accessed: November 23rd, 2010. Available at: .

5. Feather, Sally Rhine. PhD and Executive Director. Rhine Research Centre. President: Bonnie Albright. Rhine Research Centre; Durham, North Carolina, United States of America. Updated: August 24th, 2010. Accessed: November 23rd, 2010. Avaialble at: .org/

6. French, Chris. Professor of Anomalistic Psychology at the University of London. "Spoon-Bending For Beginners". The Guardian. Editor: Chris Elliott. Guardian News and Media Limited; London, England: August 11th, 2009.

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9. McTaggart, Lynne. "The Experiments". The Intention Experiment. Free Press: A Division of Simon & Shuster Incorporated; New York: 2008.

10. Penman, Danny. PhD. "Can You Kill A Goat By Staring Into Its Eyes?" The Daily Mail. Editor: Paul Dacre. Publisher: Martin Clarke. Associated Newspapers Limited; London, England: October 23rd, 2009. Available at: .

11. Pockett, Susan. "Difficulties with the Electromagnetic Field Theory of Consciousness". Journal of Consciousness Studies: Volume 9. Imprint Academic; Auckland: November 4th, 2002.

12. Carroll, Robert Todd. "The Princeton Engineering Anomalies Research (PEAR)". The Skeptic's Dictionary. Editor: Christian Popa. Wiley; New York: 2003.

13. Sawyer, Robert J. Hybrids. Tor Books: A Tom Doherty and Associates Books; New York: 2003.

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15. Various Authors. "Psychokinesis". Wikipedia. Founder: Jimmy Wales. Updated: November 9th, 2010. Accessed: November 23rd, 2010. Available at: .org/wiki/Psychokinesis


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